1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-167948 discloses a connector including a housing, a terminal fitting to be inserted into the housing and a retainer to be mounted at a partial locking position and a full locking position in the housing. The retainer mounted at the partial locking position is retracted to a position where the terminal fitting can be inserted into the housing. When the retainer then can be pushed from the partial locking position to the full locking position where the retainer engages the terminal fitting to retain and hold the terminal fitting.
The retainer is held at the partial locking position in the housing during transportation to a site where the terminal fitting is inserted. Hence, it is necessary to prevent the retainer from moving to the full locking position during the transportation. Engageable locking structures are provided on the housing and the retainer to hold the retainer at the partial locking position and to prevent inadvertent movement of the retainer to the full locking position.
A large engagement margin of the locking structures on the housing and the retainer arguably would hold the retainer reliably at the partial locking position. However, a large engagement margin increases the amount of resilient deformation of the housing or the retainer in the engaging process and a pressing force on the locking structures increases due to a resilient restoring force of the deformed housing or retainer. A large pressing force may plastically deform and squash the locking structure, thereby reducing the engagement margin between the locking structures and hence reducing a force for holding the retainer at the partial locking position.
The invention was completed based on the above situation and an object thereof is to increase a holding force for holding a retainer at a partial locking position.